New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-27
DEMORALIZED BY POLITICS.
INJURY TO THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.

MANY COMPLAINTS OF DELAYS AND ERRORS
MAKING PLACES FOR DEMOCRATS.
Complaints Of delays in the railway mail service
have been frequent OF late sp0ndcnt writing
to THE TRIBUNE from Toledo, Ohio says that there
is an average delay OF several hours some OF the
Western routes centrng there compared with two
years ago. Like complaints have been made from
other parts OF the country, and NewYork business
houses have suffered because Of this inefBcicncy.
Inquiries of posr-otce officials ia this city have not
resulted in throwing much light the subject Post
Pearson said that 1t had been unusually hard
winter tor the railway mail service frequent snow
blockages and railroad disasters had caused delay,
which could not be averted. But. as he Eas nothing
to do with the railway mail service be could speak
from personal knowledge OF it.
Assistant Superintendent jackson, who has charge
of the service in New York. Pennsylvania NewJersey
and the easter shore OF that he did not
think there was any great increase IN compiaints
here. Care was taken to investigate every specific
complaint. Trouble occas iOnally caused by in
efficient men, but that always had been the case Mr.
jackson showed the system he had put III iorce OF
keeping the record of men in his division. which ap-
peared to be perfect one but he admitted that. while
1t easy Tor al inefficient to get IN the service
it hard TO get him out after he got in. This
he said had always been the case
An Official long connected with the service in WASH
ngton explained the cause OF the complaints concern
ing the railway mail service as follows:
ait is wholly result Oi using these places for
partisan purp0scd The railway mail clerks are not UNI
der the Civil Service rules. They ought TO be included
by all means 1t requires skill to be Of uso in these
places. An incompetent delays tie mails and
does great injury. But even a comparatively dull
fellow by long experience becomes of greater use.
When this Administration came into power the rail-
way mail service was almost wholly mrio up Of ex.
pcricnccd clerks, and it had attained high degree
Of efficiency. There arc between four aml six thou.
sand OF these clerks now, there increase
Of ia last year. AS the clerks were not protected
by the Civil service examinations, and charges
could be made without attracting public attention,
tho Democratic Members Of Congress and politicians
made dead set to get these places far their
friends. As result thousands OF railway mail
clerks have been turned out for other cause than
that they were supposed to be Republicans. Each
new appOintcc has had TO have recommendation
from some prominent Democrat, and that iG all that
Is required.
Not getting the Republicans all ont. the Democrats
in Congress recently complained to the Postmaster
General that Superintendent Jameson ought to DO
removed. IIc really had nothing to 10 with making
appointments but he was removed and q Democrat
who had 10 experience knowledge OF the railway
mail service appointed In his steal. These changes
have disorganized and demorIlHed the service. As
n result there is not day goes by that complaint is
not made ut Washington OF mails being carried by
the cities mt which thov should have been delivered.
or Of being delivered at the wrong place, etc. In
some of tho Western States n clean sweep has been
made of the postal clerks; The President could put
n stop TO this Generalization by having these places
included i'm the Civil Service examination a. ho
ought to do but he has taken no notice OF such
rcco